Inter-ed

International Education (Inter-Ed) is a student exchange program dedicated to bringing the youth of different nations and cultures together at a personal family level, forging bonds of friendship that will last a lifetime. Inter-Ed was founded with the belief that increasing understanding and tolerance between nations is a worthwhile endeavor, and... Inter-Ed focuses on cultural exchanges for students of high school age in order to further that cause. The majority of exchange students studying in the United States each year are college age students who live in dormitories or apartments, often having little or no personal contact with the community in which they live. While these students will gain a good education, they do not necessarily gain any understanding of our country or its people and they return home with little or no empathy for the various ways of life that make up the culture of the United States. Conversely, many families in the United States are insulated from peoples of other cultures, lacking the opportunity to interact and form bonds with citizens of other countries. Instead of following the course that many exchange programs do, Inter-Ed chooses to concentrate on high school students who will actually become a part of a community in the United States by living as a member of their host family: Eating meals, conversing, playing, and studying. In short, these students are immersed in a new way of life; joining into the culture and community of their host family. Significantly, this happens at a time in their lives when many people make their most long-lasting friendships. Once their program ends, the Inter-Ed students then return to their home countries, bringing their new understandings and friendships along. But what they leave behind is just as important: host families are left with a deeper appreciation and insight into another culture, closing gaps of perception that may exist. Inter-Ed's goal is to create bridges of understanding, tolerance, and peace between the peoples of the world by ...Read More